As Twitchy reported earlier, the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Tuesday, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tiebreaking vote. Sen. Eric Schmitt confirms that the bill kicks 1.4 million illegal aliens off Medicaid, "betraying working families," according to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
On Monday, the Senate voted 56-44, failing to pass a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill to remove Medicaid benefits from illegal aliens. Some blamed the Senate Parliamentarian, without whose interference the provision would have passed with a 50+1 vote, but instead it required 60. So what's going on? Will illegal aliens still be entitled to Medicaid or not?
Sen. Eric Schmitt posted a thread explaining that the language to cut off Medicaid for illegals DID make it into the final draft of the bill.
The Big Beautiful Bill kicks 1.4 MILLION illegal immigrants off Medicaid.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
For too long, Americans have been paying for the welfare of people who shouldn't even be in our country.
Today, the Senate voted to end that.
And yes—this DID make it into the final draft of the bill. 🧵
Yesterday, there were a lot of rumors floating around about the ban on Medicaid for illegal aliens being stripped from the bill.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
Thankfully, that's not true. It's very much in the bill we just passed.
You can look it up below. Page 602. Section 77109.https://t.co/9B54AyrRBo
Here's where the rumor came from: During yesterday's vote-a-rama, an amendment banning Medicaid for illegal immigrants was voted down.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
The clip of that vote started circulating online—and folks took that to mean that the provision had been stripped from the bill altogether.
But that was just one of many "messaging amendments," designed to force Democrats to vote against specific provisions—in this case, a ban on some Medicaid funding for illegal aliens who commit heinous crimes—on the record.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
It was meant to show the public how radical they are.
The ban itself was ALREADY in the bill. It was never taken out.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
And it wasn't just a ban on some Medicaid for illegal immigrants who commit heinous crimes—it applies to ALL Medicaid for ALL illegal immigrants. (And most noncitizens generally).
The bill we passed actually goes much further—beyond banning Medicaid for 1.4 million illegal aliens, it:
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
• Requires states to verify citizenship status before providing coverage
• Bans automatic Medicaid enrollment for children of illegal aliens
• Excludes DACA from Medicaid
According to the Congressional Budget Office, roughly 1.4 million illegal immigrants are currently on Medicaid, despite the fact that they don't meet federal enrollment requirements—because blue states have expanded their (federally funded) Medicaid programs to include them.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
As of April 2025, 14 states plus Washington, D.C. offer government healthcare to people "regardless of immigration status."
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
Seven states (CA, CO, IL, MN, NY, OR, WA) plus D.C. offer government healthcare to adults (i.e., not just children) "regardless of immigration status." pic.twitter.com/SxKjsa27Pp
The Big Beautiful Bill ends that arrangement by restricting Medicaid eligibility.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
According to the official data from the CBO (see below), that kicks a whopping 1.4 million illegal immigrants off the Medicaid rolls. pic.twitter.com/zTeutcnpIz
We're not talking about a few bucks here and there. This could cost blue states tens of billions of dollars.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
A lot of these states have serious budget problems already. They're going to have to choose between their addiction to mass migration and averting financial collapse.
That means blue states are left with a choice: Either send your illegal immigrants home, or you're going to be paying their bills yourself.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
It's easy when you're doing it on the American taxpayer's dime. It's a lot tougher when it's all coming from your own constituents.
So to reiterate: The "ban Medicaid for illegal immigrants" amendment failed because it didn't reach the 60-vote threshold—but the original ban was already in the bill.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025
The bill that the Senate just passed.
A massive victory for America First.
Thank you for clarifying. I feel much better about this now. 😊🇺🇸
— DJ (@CrazyOldGrammy) July 1, 2025
Thank you for debunking that.
— Ryan Humpert (@OrMAGAdad) July 1, 2025
Awesome. I read posts it was not in the bill, but this is great news.
— Wanda Nelson (@wanda_nels78125) July 1, 2025
We hope this is all accurate. If the Republicans were going to go soft on anything, it would be this issue. They wouldn't want to appear "mean."
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